According to my niece, Johnny Appleseed—not George Washington—chopped down the cherry tree so he could plant his apple trees. But did you know during Prohibition the FBI made it their mission to chop down Johnny Appleseed’s apple trees to prevent the production of hard cider?

Johnny Appleseed

Born in Massachusetts on September 26, 1774, John Chapman spent his life traversing early America—on foot—crisscrossing what are now the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and northern West Virginia, as well as Ontario, Canada.

He lived outdoors unprotected from nature, animals, or man—white or native. This endurance, combined with his appearance, good nature, generosity, love of God and his Bible, belief and guidance in conservation, knowledge of medicinal herbs, and dedication to apples established the Johnny Appleseed legend long before his death.

John entertained people with tales of his adventures. He also preached the gospel, acting as a missionary for his church. And though usually unshaven, barefoot, and clad in old trousers and coffee-sack shirt, he wasn’t a pauper. He dressed and traveled as he did by choice.

Did You Know…

• He preached to and converted many Native Americans.
• Native Americans—even the hostile tribes—believed the Great Spirit had touched him and so left him alone.
• He loved all animals and insects, even mosquitos.

Apple Seeds

John first traveled west when he was only eighteen, but it wasn’t until he apprenticed with a man who owned an apple orchard that he found his life’s calling. The image of Johnny Appleseed traveling around, randomly spreading apple seeds is far from the truth. In reality, John Chapman was a professional nurseryman and canny businessman. He gathered apple seeds from cider mills for free, then trekked west to plant apple tree nurseries. Each nursery was carefully selected and fenced, and John routinely returned to care for it and sell the young trees.

Did You Know…

• John saw Ohio’s “permanency requirement” for settlers to plant 50 apple trees on the 100 acres they were given as a business opportunity. Going ahead of the immigrants, he created apple nurseries, so he’d have young trees ready to sell when they arrived.
• The first written report about a missionary traveling in the American “west” sowing apple seeds is found in an 1817 church bulletin printed in Manchester, England.
• The first time the name “John Appleseed” was used was in an 1822 letter from a church member.

Apple Trees

John’s apple trees weren’t today’s apple trees. His apples weren’t for eating but for making hard apple cider, the U.S.’s beverage of choice at the time. Rural areas drank cider rather than juice, tea, coffee, wine, beer, or even water. Hard Cider was a staple on the frontier table, just like bread.

Did You Know…

• Frontier settlers from New England drank over ten ounces of hard cider daily. It was safe and stable compared to possible bacteria-laden frontier water.
• Hard cider was almost completely erased during Prohibition because FBI agents often chopped down the apple trees that produced the sour apples used to make cider. This wiped out much of John Chapman’s life’s work.
• John and his church didn’t believe in grafting. (It might hurt the plants.) Because of this, his trees came from seeds and weren’t usually good for eating. However, through trial and error, apples that would flourish in the U.S. were discovered.

The End

In 1842, after spending nearly fifty years trekking around the country, John Chapman moved into his half-brother, Nathaniel’s, home in Ohio. Three years later, while visiting a friend in Indiana, he died of pneumonia.

Did You Know…

• He almost died in a tree accident in 1819 Ohio. While picking hops John fell, catching his neck in the tree’s fork. His eight-year-old helper had to cut down the tree to save John’s life.
• During his lifetime, John purchased and sold land, planted dozens of nurseries, and developed thousands of apple trees.
• On his death, he owned twelve hundred acres of nurseries in three states.

Did you know National Johnny Appleseed Day was September 26, John Chapman’s birthday? Click here to download a Johnny Appleseed Crossword Puzzle. Click here for the Answers. (From Washington Apple Commission.)